Childhood's End
by Alex Warlorn
Summary: Mikey and Evee are star gazing, it is a night that will change their lives forever.


Thank you Farla for the inspiration. 

Mikey stood there on his knees starring, wide eyed at the black and gold pokemon gazing back at him with ebony within crimson eyes.   
"Eve . . . . vee?" Mikey said shaking his eyes filling with pain.   
"Umbre." Said the dark creature simply.   
That was the breaking point, Mikey took hold of his friend, the pain coming down freely on his cheeks in the shape of tears.   
The boy sobbed. "Evee I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to make you evolve, I'm just so sorry. I didn't try to be like my brothers and make you change, I never meant it, really, I'm sorry, whatever I did I'm sorry."   
He and Evee had been sitting here on the grass, moon gazing, Mikey just enjoying his little friend's presence. He was almost old enough to go on his journey, but he wasn't sure if he wanted to. He didn't want to force Evee to fight just for Mikey's sake, he wanted it to be Evee's choice. They hadn't even battled since before or after the battle with Team Rocket.   
Both stared at the star-studded sky, the moon with an aura, the little fox pokemon snuggling besides the human in his arm. It just felt so good to be with him. He didn't care if he was the strongest pokemon in the world, or that he could win in a fight, he was his friend, and that was enough. The Evee stared at the moon, the moon that he and Mikey shared together. He wished this moment could last forever. In that moment, he felt Mikey's love for him, and Mikey felt his. That emotion welled up inside the pokemon, spreading outward filling every portion of his being, changing him, transforming him, he looked up as the moon shined down on him, and he shined back. The darkness was suddenly no longer fowl or forbidden as he had thought about it his whole life, now it simply was, nothing to fear of it. He let out a cry. "Umbre."   
He felt Mikey's arm leave him, he was slightly confused, he saw Mikey was looking at him in fear, then pain, that was then swallowed by shame.   
The pokemon looked at his own body, confirming what his body had already told him. He instinctually knew what he was. Strange, a part of him had always been afraid that he would lose himself to this. That Evee would cease to exist with the change. Mikey had sensed that fear, and protected him against his brother's evolution stones. But, this felt more like a completion, a fulfillment of his sense of identity.   
Mikey suddenly hugged him crying, saying he was sorry. Sorry for what? Being his friend (?) for 'forcing' him to change? Evee realized that Mikey had no idea what this evolution was. He himself hadn't known until a minute ago, so he couldn't blame him.   
"Umberon. Umbre-bre." It's all right Mikey.> The shadow pokemon said.   
"No!" Mikey said. "No it's not! I promised I wouldn't make you evolve and now you have! I sorry Evee! I don't even know what I did! I'm sorry!" He said being torn up inside.   
Mikey, it's all right, I understand now, this was supposed to happen.> He explains calmly.   
"Su-supposed?" Mikey hyperventilated.   
Mikey, you're my friend.> He nuzzled his face.   
"And I betrayed you!" He yelled.   
No you haven't. I didn't evolve because I was forced to. I did it because . . . I evolved because we're friends Mikey.>   
"What?" Mikey was beginning to calm down. The tears had stopped.   
The reason you didn't want to force me evolve is what caused the change to happen. You didn't want to be like your brothers. You wanted it to be my choice. And my choice was to be your friend Mikey. My change was an expression of our friendship, not a curse.   
Some humans try to cheat and pretend to be their partner's friend. It never works. Friendship has to be two ways for it to be real. Weather you perceive something to be real is irrelevant, things are what they are Mikey, and you're my friend.>   
"Then . . . you're not mad at me?" Mikey whispered, his worst fear for so long was to accident force Evee to evolve, and either his friend's identity would cease to exist, or he would hate him forever for robbing him of his original form. Mikey honesty preferred the idea of the latter. He didn't want a battle hungry pokemon like his brothers had, he wanted his friend, Evee.   
Mikey, this wouldn't have happened if I were mad at you. And this wouldn't have happened if you were mad at me. It doesn't work like that.> There was another thing Umbreon left unsaid. He had been a child. And childhood could not last forever, no matter how hard one tried to stop it. Mikey would learn that lesson himself one day.   
Silence. Not even the chirp of insects or the breeze of the wind. "Thank you." Mikey whispered, tears starting again, but for different reasons.   
For what?>   
"For being . . . my friend."   
Would you want me to be anything else?>   
He didn't hesitated. "Never."   
Umbreon already knew Mikey's answer before he even said it, but still, it was good to hear. Friendship was empty, without the expression of it. Both pokemon and human held each other for some time. 

Flames, comments, good or bad reviews, suggestions, reactions, occasional constructive criticism all welcome. Spelling corrections also welcome as long as you tell what you think of the story itself too.   
  



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